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Update: Man charged with rape of two juveniles

Staff Writer

Friday, September 22, 2017

PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA

(Editor's Note: Please be warned that the crimes described in this story are sexually-related and graphic in nature.)

PUNXSUTAWNEY — On Wednesday, Punxsutawney-based Pennsylvania State Police reported John Charles Defluri, 50, of Montgomery, Pa., man had been charged with more than 2,400 counts, including rape of a child, for incidents involving two juvenile victims (ages seven through 12 at the time) at multiple residences in Big Run and Punxsutawney boroughs between January 2010 and December 2015.

In the criminal complaint, police said that the investigation was brought to their attention through a ChildLine report of suspected child abuse, sparking an investigation to be conducted on two 14-year-old juvenile victims.

On Aug. 29, Pat Berger of Western PA Cares For Kids interviewed one of the alleged victims, with police present, and the victim disclosing that she resided with an undisclosed individual in Big Run and Punxsutawney during the timeframe of the acts, from age seven to 12. Defluri was a live-in boyfriend to the undisclosed person.

In the interview, the juvenile said that Defluri would perform inappropriate sexual acts in front of her and instruct her how to perform such acts, as well. This behavior continued to escalate into other more intrusive acts. The juvenile said that these acts occurred daily to weekly when she was seven through nine years of age, then declined to weekly from ages 10 through 12.

The affidavit said that Defluri was a water truck driver with a trucking company, and the victim would go with him, and she reported that on approximately 50 occasions, inappropriate sex acts occurred in the truck, as well. Primarily, though, the affidavit reported that these acts occurred in the residence in which they were residing, including incidents in the bathroom and "anytime that he could get her alone." It also said that he told her he "fell in love with her like a man loves a woman," and in discussing these incidents sometime last year, he indicated to her that he would kill himself if she told anyone and that he "couldn't make it in prison."

In a second interview with another victim, it was alleged that Defluri came into her room when she was seven years of age and exposed himself and tried to convince her that the inappropriate sex acts were okay. The affidavit said these incidents occurred approximately 15 times, with the last occurrence being when the victim was 11.

On Aug. 29, police interviewed the unidentified individual mentioned above, and she said that she received a text message from one of the juveniles that indicated she wished she would leave Defluri and that "he has been disgusting toward her for years." Citing a fear that she wouldn't be believed, the victim indicated it was sexually related involving the defendant. She then went upstairs to speak personally with the juvenile, who indicated some of the details in brief.

Then, after taking the juveniles to a safe location, she confronted Defluri about the allegations. When confronted, Defluri "just stared at her and said nothing," then replied with "I can't say no." She told him she wanted him to go turn himself in, and he said he would. The following day, she spoke with Defluri and he said he had tried to turn himself in to PSP-Montoursville, but that they "couldn't help him because he was not charged with anything."

On Sept. 8, police observed numerous Facebook messages between Defluri and the unidentified individual, during which he allegedly admitted to having the juveniles perform inappropriate sex acts and touching him inappropriately. Based on the above information, police filed the charges against Defluri.